Google Voice client MetroTalk on Windows Phone goes free for 48 hours

If you use Google Voice because like us, you have multiple phone numbers or you just like the free data-driven SMS feature, then you should check out MetroTalk for Windows Phone.

The app started off decent enough when it was first launched months ago but it has quickly ramped up to be one of the best, most fully featured Google Talk clients for Windows Phone—that’s specially good since Google doesn’t seem interested in supporting their own services.

Now, the developer has made the normally $1.49 app free for the next 48 hours. That’s a heck of a good deal especially since the app was just updated on October 13th to a version that will work with Windows Phone 8 and will be updated for WP8 features in the coming weeks.

We’ve used MetroTalk for quite some time and we think it’s a solid app with some great developer support behind it. While you could use the free, ad-supported version, why not head to the Store and grab yourself the full paid iteration for $0? The app does have push notifications done through a simple setup procedure on the device to ensure timely updates and the UI is quite sharp.

Go grab MetroTalk here in the Windows Phone Store before the price goes back up. And if you like it, remember to leave a positive review for it in the Store.

Google Voice client MetroTalk on Windows Phone goes free for 48 hours

Does anyone else just install these apps when they're free, for those just in case I need it moments. Just today installed two new apps from liquid daffodil, just because they were free. They look fun though. Free is my language, and today was a good day for free apps.

I do. I don't even have a Windows Phone yet (been waiting for WP8 for a long time), I'm stuck on some cheap Android. I popped my sim into my girlfriend's HD7 for a weekend once a long while back, and since then I have been able to "download" marketplace apps - I choose all the free stuff advertised here, or anything that looks useful. (When the download fails, it offers to email me a link). Once I get my Lumia, I'll just "reinstall" everything, and see what I like :D

In away yes. but there are some that I will go and buy after trying Gleek being one of them. I do not mind at all buying an app that I like. it does take time and effort to create and update them I blow $1.99 on crap every day mints or a coffee an app i will keep using. so no big deal free is good too.

I use GV myself so I downloaded this and have now choosen it as my primary GV app. (Was using GV for WP before, but I didn't like that wouldn't update with new text messages while you were in the app).
I've also downloaded this on my wife's WP. She doesn't use GV, but if she does, then this app will be ready to download on her phone.

I will install a free app if I think that I will use it at some point in time. I have purchased other apps from devs who gave me a freebie. Conversley, I not pay for any app other than AtBat12/13 that does not have a trial.
-SAB

I'm sorry, but I do not think Google Voice is supported in the UK yet. You can verify whether you have a working Google Voice account, by logging into http://www.google.com/voice. If that works, and the same set of user credentials does not allow you to connect into MetroTalk, please let us know. As a side note, the reason this is available in the UK marketplace as well, is that some users have explicitly requested for it (there are many ways to get a US account, if you have a use for this service). Apologies for the inconvenience!

Same here in Brazil. I open the app and after 5 second it crashes, I mean it cloeses, cause it gives me no error message.
I can use the voice service with no problem on the web. I did a call to my cell to test and it worked just fine. So it is not a problem with service unavaliable here in my country.
I'm reporting this to your support as well!

I can log in to web site fine there are options to download software to pc which I will give a try later. There is a statement on the page that says its not available in all countries but it doesn't state which countries.

In my personal (and likely biased) opinion, there is definitely a speed difference between the two. This is true both for launching the app, and for opening large conversations (this is especially noticeable, if you have conversations with over 100 messages). Also you should check out the Quick Reply feature; it should save a lot of time when replying to messages that were just received. You can check this out if you click on a new toast notification, while the app is closed.

Is Google Voice supported in Canada yet? Also, Metro Talk keeps crashing on me. I open the app, it checks for messages, then closes. Or, I can get as far as putting in credentials, it'll think for a minute, then close. Ugh. I'm using a Lumia 900 BTW.

That's very strange. It's been a while since we had reports of the app crashing like that. Would you mind contacting us at support AT metrotalk-windowsphone DOT com. We would be really interested in finding out what the exact problem is.

Do you have a working Google Voice account? Please try verifying that, by logging into http://www.google.com/voice. If that works, and the same set of user credentials does not allow you to connect into MetroTalk, please let us know. Apologies for the inconvenience!

A couple of users have reported the same problem. It seems that this is a Microsoft issue, as the price change hasn't propagated to everyone in the Marketplace yet. The offer is still definitely active, and won't be going away before Thursday at least. Please try again later and if it doesn't work, please let us know and we will find another way for you to get the app!

i am also getting the same issue. follow the link to windowsphone.com it shows free; when i login to install, it shows $1.49.
i don't believe this is specific to metrotalk as i noticed the same issue with gleek (which is supposed to be free right now).
hope microsoft fixes the issue soon(within time for me to get the app).

I for one would like to thank this dev for being interested enough in the WPxx environment to be here posting reactions to our comments personally. I have downloaded and intend to spread the word that this is an app where the devs work hard at keeping current and active with their applications so as to polish an already nicely done product.
By the way liquid daffodil (sp !?) is another dev that is frequently involved in "extreme" support for our system for a very long time. He has numerous very helpful apps.

Just want to chime in as a happy paying customer here. I have a 250 text plan grandfathered in on Verizon, and when I know someone is about to start a lengthy text conversation, I just switch over to Metrotalk and continue.
Works great and has been improving since the beginning, :thumbs up:

I am switching to a WP8 phone in the coming month. I was wondering if MetroTalk can call and receive calls through Google Talk as well? I have an Android phone now (Skyrocket) and just wasn't sure if this was a texting app only as I remember when I tried the Lumia 900 GoVoice gave me lots of issues with calls. Thanks for any help

If you're referring to making calls using Gmail Voice Chat, no this can't. I do know OctroTalk (which is a GChat client) can but only to someone logged into GChat. And it lags pretty bad, so I really don't use it. WP8 is supposed to have more API's available for this functionality, so we'll see how turns out in the future. Down with voice plans!!!

Like the person before me posted, currently MetroTalk does not support calls over VoIP. You are still able to call from your GV number, but only by using the cellular network. Text works exactly as you would expect. Please keep an eye out regarding updates for VoIP functionality, after WP8 is launched.

If you have 2-factor authentication enabled, you can use MetroTalk by using an application-specific password. You can generate this, by visiting https://www.google.com/settings/security and clicking on "Authorizing applications and sites". If you need more help with this, please contact us at support AT metrotalk-windowsphone DOT com.

Can you not get this for free if you've downloaded the trial before? It's showing up as $1.49 on my account but both my parents accounts it was free. I think I may have downloaded the trial a long time ago.

You should be able to get it. Have you tried uninstalling and then "buying" it? Please also note that there seems to be an issue with the Marketplace, where not all users see the app as being free. It seems it's a glitch on Microsoft's side, and I am hoping it will be resolved tomorrow. The offer will remain for at least 24 more hours; possibly more.

Is there a delay in verifying the Forwarding Email address when setting up Push Notification?
It's been about 1.5 hours since I've setup the forwarding email to XXXX@metrotalk-windowsphone.com and Google still shows that the email address needs verification.

No, the verification should be instant. Would you mind emailing your Google Voice email address, and the MetroTalk address you are trying to use, at support AT metrotalk-windowsphone DOT com? We can look into this in more detail and help you resolve it. Thanks!

Thanks for the help, metrotalk.
I had signed into MetoTalk using my gmail username without a dot ("<first><last>") instead of the actual gmail username of <first>.<last> AT gmail DOT com
Verification was almost instant once I used a matching login.